Faced with a dense urban environment, Drexler Guinand Gaussian Architects chose to design this super skinny home on a tiny 29 square meter plot in Germany. After developing a sophisticated software program that mapped out how to minimize the project's use of construction materials and energy, the firm conceived the Minihouse in Frankfurt as a prototype for efficient urban housing.

European cities are becoming increasingly crowded, so creative measures need to be taken to maximize urban density without making people stir crazy. By building a tall and thin prototype with clever use of lighting and space, Drexler Guinand Jauslin Architects managed to pack 660 m³ of building volume onto a teensy 29 square meter plot.

Lofty ceilings, rafters, and skylights, along with tall high performance windows, give the industrial-chic home a sense of expansive freedom without gobbling up a lot of natural resources or energy, and responsibly sourced timber with a low embodied energy footprint was used throughout. This is a simple project that nonetheless acts as an excellent example of how to achieve urban densification and strong, healthy aesthetics.